When a student is unable to fully fund his or her education from personal resources, CIU desires to assist the student in obtaining additional financing from federal, state, institutional and private foundation resources. Students who wish to be considered for aid from these sources must meet general eligibility requirements as well as fund-specific criteria. Eligibility requirements and instructions for applying are outlined below. International students are not eligible for federal aid and should refer to the section on Institutional Aid.

Applying for Financial Aid

To apply for Financial Aid, you must submit both the 2007-2008 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the 2007-2008 CIU Online Application.

The priority deadline, which was January 31, 2007, has passed. We award funds on a first come, first served basis. Therefore, applying immediately will increase you likelihood of being awarded CIU aid.

Federal Financial Aid

The federal government is committed to assisting students whose personal resources are not sufficient to pay for graduate studies. This assistance may come in the form of loans or federal work- study programs. The primary document used to apply for federal aid is the Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA can be filled out at www.fafsa.ed.gov. CIU's federal school code, needed in Step Six of the FAFSA, is 003429.

To be considered for aid from these sources, a student must meet the following general requirements:

submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a regular, degree-seeking program (or other eligible program as defined by the federal government
be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (as defined by the federal government)
male applicants must be registered with the Selective Service (if required)
you must not be in default on a previous federal loan or owe money back to a federal grant program
be making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree
be enrolled at least 6 hours (not including Independent Learning courses) each semester and studying at the Columbia campus

Other requirements may apply. Once you submit your FAFSA, the Office of Student Financial Services will contact you to discuss completion of your application.

International students should not submit a FAFSA. International students interested in applying for financial aid from CIU should submit the CIU Online Scholarship Application.

Types Of Federal Aid

The following types of federal aid are offered to eligible graduate applicants:

Federal Stafford Loans (FSL)
The FSL is a long-term, low-interest loan made available through a lending institution. Students who demonstrate financial need according to the FAFSA may be eligible for an interest-free loan called the Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan. Students who do not demonstrate financial need according to the FAFSA may be eligible for an interest-accruing loan called the Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan. Generally, a graduate student may be eligible to borrow up to $18,500 per academic year (or the amount budgeted by the school, whichever is less), and no more than $8500 of that amount may be in Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans. Federal Stafford Loans do have fees and certain repayment schedules. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Federal Work-Study (FWS)
FWS is a program that subsidizes certain on and off-campus job opportunities for students who have demonstrated financial need according to the FAFSA. Students may seek employment opportunities at the beginning of each semester. All FWS jobs pay at least minimum wage and students are paid bi-monthly. Even if a student does not meet the requirements for a FWS job, other job opportunities may be available. Please contact the Personnel Office for more information.

Institutional Aid

Columbia Biblical Seminary & School of Missions has several scholarship and grant opportunities available to qualified students. Specific conditions and qualifications may be required of individual scholarships and are noted accordingly. To apply for institutional aid, submit the CIU Online Scholarship application. To be considered for institutional aid, all applicants must meet the following general requirements:

be enrolled or fully admitted to a degree-seeking program
be enrolled at least 9 hours each semester (not including hours taken through Independent Learning) and studying at the Columbia campus
maintain satisfactory academic progress
display excellent Christian character
be willing to provide an appropriate "thank-you" letter to scholarship donors
Note to CIU Scholarship/Endowment Applicants:
In order to make CIU scholarships and endowments available to as many eligible students as possible, all CIU scholarships and endowments are entirely forfeited when a recipient withdraws from CIU before the end of a term or drops below nine hours of enrollment. In such an event, CIU scholarship and endowment recipients are responsible for complete repayment of funds.

Types of Institutional Aid

The following types of institutional aid are offered to eligible graduate applicants:

CIU Scholarships
CIU Scholarships are need-based scholarships made to entering and continuing CIU students. Awards are approximately $1000 per semester. To qualify, U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens must submit the FAFSA and a CIU Student Financial Services Application. Students must demonstrate financial need according to the FAFSA and meet the general requirements for institutional aid.
CIU Endowment Grants/Scholarships
Approximately 60 scholarships have been established by gracious individuals and/or families who are deeply committed to God’s work around the world and to the role that CIU plays in training laborers for that work. Award amount and specific criteria vary. To qualify, U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens must submit the FAFSA and a CIU Student Financial Services Application. Students must demonstrate financial need according to the FAFSA and meet the general requirements for institutional aid.

How to Contact the Office of Student Financial Services